


In Perpetuity

by kink_tomato



Category: Tokyo Babylon
Genre: Gen, Humor, Mentions of CLAMP School Detectives and Antique Bakery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 21:03:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17128694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kink_tomato/pseuds/kink_tomato
Summary: A silly oneshot about what happens between the pages while no one is reading





	In Perpetuity

As the cover fell shut Hokuto released a sigh, letting her posture droop and her bright smile fade.

"Honestly," she huffed, and after a brief stretch, strode over to where Seishiro sat, smoking and flipping through a magazine. "Let me have one of those," she demanded, thrusting her hand out, palm up in expectation. Seishiro smirked, tapped a cigarette out from his slightly squashed pack, and placed it obligingly between her fingers. 

"Want a light too?"

Subaru glanced up from the caged puppy he was ostensibly playing with, his finger still stuck between the wire bars. "You hate smoking, you know...it's bad for you." His brow creased faintly, suggesting concern, but his tone was too mild to be reproachful. 

"I know," Hokuto leaned forward to catch the flame from Seishiro's lighter, inhaled and then straightened, blowing out a thin stream of smoke. "But if I do it too, the smell doesn't bother me. And it's not like it's going to kill me." She gave her brother a wry smile as Seishiro chuckled quietly, and he frowned in response. This time he did look reproachful.

"Sorry, it's just that it's exhausting being so damn perky all the time. It's been what, twenty five years now? At least? I'm not as young as I used to be!" she said, with a touch of irony. Subaru rolled his eyes. 

"Yes, it must be very hard on you, being the main source of levity and all. It's not like you're constantly getting your heart ripped out and handed back to you-"

Hokuto gave him a sardonic look and he colored, having the decency to look a little abashed. 

"Okay, well, yes, technically," he added hastily, "but at least it's only peripheral. I have to anguish for pages and pages! And it seems like people read that part over and over way more often than they go back to the cute stuff!"

"He has a point," Seishiro interjected thoughtfully, "they do seem to linger over some of those scenes. And it's tough without my glasses. I know it's supposed to make me look menacing when I take them off, but I can hardly see what I'm doing. Remember that time I broke a mirror? That's permanent now, part of the plot, and no one can figure out what it means."

Hokuto scoffed, "oh please, you have it easiest of all! While we're having our lives fall apart, all you have to do is say your lines and practice your smirk! Anyway I'm out of here, I have a date. Page me if anyone starts reading us again."

"A date?" Subaru repeated, giving her a curious look. 

"Yes, with Nokoru, from the Clamp School Detectives next door," Hokuto preened a little, stubbing out her cigarette and checking her lipstick in the reflection of one of Seishiro's surgical instruments. 

"Isn't he a little...short for you?" Subaru was bewildered, but trying to be diplomatic. 

"Well sure, right now, but," Hokuto began ticking points off on her brightly bepolished fingers, "he's totally cute, super respectful towards women, and incredibly rich. Which is exactly my type! Besides, I've seen what he'll look like grown up, and I'll never be older than sixteen!" She beamed at them both and flounced off.

"Subaru-kun," Seishiro ventured thoughtfully, after silence had descended and stretched for several moments. 

"Yes, Seishiro-san?" Subaru responded, abandoning the eternal puppy at last. 

"I believe there is also a volume of Antique Bakery a few rows down. Would you care to get a pastry with me?"

"Um..." Subaru hesitated, "but...isn't that the one with, uh, the guy who...” he trailed off suggestively, embarrassed to verbalize concern about a gay siren.

"Yes. But you have nothing to worry about, Subaru-kun," Seishiro smiled languidly, with just a hint of wicked humor, “I only have eyes for you."


End file.
